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Time Is Money Part Two
Reviewed: 11/15/2009
I Think We Finally Found Johnny Bravo's Soul Mate....
So we finally got to see Bubba the Cave Duck in our previous episode (and I'm sure some are still repulsed by him); and now we travel in time some more for more chaos and mayhem. I always found the first two episodes of the story arc to be the best ones along with a good finale. Will it happen again? Let's rant on and find out shall we...?!
This episode is written by Jymn Magon and Bruce Talkington. The story is edited by Jymn Magon and the teleplay was done by Bruce Coville, Jymn Magon and Len Uhley. Bruce Coville has one CBS Storybreak credit which tells me he might be Bruce Talkington under a different name freelancing. It's hard to keep this straight with WGA writers.
Opening Moment #1: Yes folks; this story arc does have a recap and it's 45 seconds long. I'm taking this as a given for the rest of the story arc and it probable also applies to Super Ducktales. For these story arcs and To The Rescue; I thought these were all right since they didn't cut out anything that would be completely awesome. Sure; we lost how Chip got his hat, but that was a really minor piece of character development. Compare that to Home Is Where The Heart Is which pretty much set up everything that followed: From finding out that Rebecca was not a jerk; that Kit yearned to have a family a lot more than an airplane; to Kit admitting that he was an Air Pirate and it made Kit's betrayal to save his new family even more tragic than it already was. The recaps in Plunder and Lightning if removed would have easily saved the song. And that's why I no longer buy the “time cut” theory. Considering that Jymn Magon has now stated that he cannot talk about why it was cut; it adds more to the theory that there is more to this story that Magon himself cannot tell. By the way; I was thinking that the same man who did To The Rescue and Plunder & Lightning were being done for Time Is Money and that being Will Ryan. However; I listened to the commentary and Will's version sounds nothing like the ones in Rescue Rangers and TaleSpin. One more note about the recap: Bubba sezs maybe at the end of the recap and that didn't appear AT ALL in the previous episode. Geez guys; don't give Al Khan any ideas for Kirby's Right Back At Ya pre.....Oh wait; never mind...
Opening Moment #2: The title card for this one is “The Duck Who Would Be King”. Take one guess who it is. And I was hoping that he would STAY king forever too. Sadly; he doesn't.
We begin this one as we did at the end of Marking Time as we have entered the TIMELINE ZONE~! Scrooge wants this to stop but it's no dice since the Shortcut doesn't have brakes. D'OH! So we cut to an ancient Asian land (check the snowy mountains and bonzai trees in the background) as the Shortcut appears and LP states that we are here. And then the Shortcut takes a nosedive and does some really wacky cartoon bumping on the hillside. And the Shortcut finally crashes with a MAN-SIZED bump near a cliff as LP calls it a three point crash. Yeah; I'm not buying that LP did THAT one by “accident”. Everyone is knocked silly except for Scrooge who gleefully blows off LP for THAT one while just hanging around. And then he bounces on LP's head (!!!) with the weakest shot this side of Billy Gunn. Oy vey Wang Films. Scrooge wonders where or when they are as LP doesn't know since Scrooge jammed up the controls. Bubba of course wants to PAR-TIE like he's Dale from 1989. I shudder to think what Bubba's version of a party is and Scrooge pushes him away because he is a pest and has dandruff. And he blames Bubba for everything as Dewey and the nephews blow him off for being unfair. Wow; the nephews grew a brain in between episodes or something?
Now; I agree with them on Bubba not being at fault here; but they are partly to blame for going along with Scrooge and LP's stupidity. They blame Scrooge for bumping the controls. WAIT A MINUTE! What bumping of the controls? I can understand blaming Scrooge and Launchpad for not noticing that it was the T-Rex who started the whole chain of events (even if it is projection on their part since they went ALONG with dumping the bones and ALLOWING Bubba and Tootsie to enter the Shortcut); but I didn't see Scrooge BUMP into the controls at all. So we get logic break #1 for the episode and #5 for the story arc barely 45 seconds in. Scrooge tries to defend himself...and then blames Bubba for sneaking on board. Okay; maybe he did, but he DID you a favor by ridding you of the dragging from the T-Rex. Scrooge is the one who was stupid enough not to see it and dump the bones. Do I have to repeat myself here?! Scrooge does the Gruffi pose as Bubba feels bad. I hope it's for the bad logic breaks here because I have sympathy for him if he does. Scrooge sighs and decides to jump out before any more damage can be done here as the babyface open the back door and jump out onto the cliff as Bubba continues to annoy Scrooge with home. Scrooge blows him off because it's not home see. Trust me folks; if you think this is bad now, wait until episode #3 when it gets really out of hand. Scrooge doesn't like talking like him either as he asks LP to access the situation to the Shortcut and LP states that it's in deep crap in roundabout terms. LP proclaims that they need help and Bubba offers it of course. Scrooge blows him off as he has helped enough already. He tells the nephews to stay with him and Bubba wants to come with Scrooge which Scrooge blows him off for.
So we go to the top of a hill (with no CONTINUITY in between the scenes to indicate that they left the previous scene either. Bad shortcut by Wang Films) as LP looks around with Scrooge and they see nothing...AND THE ROCK SEZS NOTHING! Scrooge uses the cane on LP's neck and points him to the Asian castle as it is a mirage according to LP. If only TaleSpin's Lost Horizon was one. Scrooge calls it a 14 carat mirage. They walk quickly to the castle gate which has dragon slayer picture on the front which indicates that this is a Chinese. Oh goody; this should really get the juices of outrage from Chinese Americans flowing in the morning. They look forward and the ducks see that no one is here. So they go in and practice the fine art of not being seen. And on the pan shot there is clear Chinese writing, a clear statue of Buddha praying and a picture of Satan's head on the front of the table below the statue. Man; is Jymn Magon trying to off Al Khan with multiple heart attacks and stroke? (Anime purists hope that it is a yes.) Scrooge wonders where everyone is and then they hear people gasping and we get the Scooby Doo scare spot again from the previous episode (this time from Scrooge and LP). They point stage left and see a big ass gray samurai warrior statue and climb on it and sneak up from behind the statue to look on and see a gathering of dogspeople in traditional Chinese gear watching a stage (which has a golden Chinese gong with a Chinese letter symbol on it) as there are two soldiers (which their green robes change to blue on the next shot, natch) guarding while a high priest dogsperson in purple, red and gold trim (and with a staff and a really classy golden helmet) has a woman duck tied up in ropes wearing all violet with a white trim on the front of the neck and she has flowing black hair.
The high priest addresses her as Sen-Sen (Haunami Minn who return after playing Cinnamon Teal in Spies for Their Eyes. Come to think of it; she might be the lost ancestor of Cinnamon Teal since she looks somewhat similar to her minus the flowing hair.) and she has defied him. In other words; she hates having sex with him. Cannot say I blame her; that guy has anger issues with females. She is going to face Death By Boiling Gold. We then cut to ground level with a green hiryu looking pot of boiling gold which foams really good too. LP calls them quite strict as Scrooge tells him to be quiet. Sen-Sen walks forward and tries to explain to the crowd of mostly dogspeople and pigs that she is innocent and the high priest of Tupei (Chris has it as Toupay which personally I think Chris is closer since she sounds like the place is the home of hair pieces. Figures judging by the black flowing hair) is cheating and stealing from them. So she is in this problem because she noticed that Tupei is a cheat and scam I see? I thought it was because she is a mallard and there are no mallards in this race (which of course is false considering what happens later on) so they are keeping the race pure. So it's only because she loosen her lips in the wrong place. And I don't mean speaking either. The high priest tells her to shut up as he has the ultra cool red ocean sparking staff in his hand and that he addresses himself as Mung-Ho and protect the people with the power of the Great One. Translation: I am the hardcore priest who leaks the people's accounts dry while claiming protection from my sky god. No wonder DTVA get muzzled in religious reference soon after Darkwing Duck. We get some fireworks on the pan up shot as the crowd is amazed. Well; it doesn't take much to amuse them I guess.
Mung-Ho is voiced by Keone Young; a Hawaiian born actor who does mostly Asian roles in animation in the same vein as Anderson Wong and Robert Ito. He started with Room 222 as Howie Wong in 1969 and then a stint on the Bill Cosby Show. He was also in movies such as Baby Blue Marine, Private Benjamin, Eyewitness, Frances, Alien Nation, Fear, Honeymoon in Vegas and Surf Ninjas. Yeah. His television roles were mostly of the cameo role like Taxi, Cheers, Hart to Hart, Different Strokes, St. Elsewhere, and had a major role as Dr. Michael Kwan in Kay O'Brien. He started animation with Gobots, Jem, Johnny Quest and Chuck Norris: Karate Kommados before being Shadow Storm in G.I. Joe. He was typecast into Asian roles for animation as well. Gummi Bears was his DTVA debut as Prince Yen Moon, Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go as Super Quasier, Lilo & Sitch The Series and then he broke through animation as Jake's grandfather in American Dragon Jake Long (he did some singing as well in the show). He also was in Phineas and Ferb and was in video games such as X-Men, True Crime: New York City (and Streets of LA), SWAT 4, Doom 3 and Tenchu San. His most recent credits to date are Crank: High Voltage as Don Kim, Why Am I Doing This as Ming, Scooby Doo & The Samurai Sword as Matsuhiro and Alpha Protocol as Ronald Sung. He has 174 credits in total.
So we move on as Sen-Sen calls this a trick and we know this because Mung-Ho inserts an orange marble into his staff clear on the camera when Sen-Sen tells the crowd to trust in the Great One. See; the prophecy will come true as Launchpad leans onto the side of the statue as he is in love again. I see Launchpad is a ladies man again. I thought the Lost Crown would neuter that trait. I see Magon is practicing his natural lapses in character on this story arc in order to do the real thing for TaleSpin when it was most needed. Sadly; he slips into the top of the statue (via the Wang Films light gray animated door) as Scrooge blows him off again. LP climbs out and apologizes for that one as we cut back to the stage on the ground far shot and Mung-Ho pushes Sen-Sen onto the plank some more as Sen-Sen proclaims that good shall win when iron walks and gates give forth a blizzard. And we shall see The Great One ride atop a giant lizard. If you cannot tell who is the savior of this clan; you have no business reading this rant. The crowd is stunned to hear this (Russi Taylor, Alan Young) as Mung-Ho has had enough and Sen-Sen the rabble rouser must be silenced like good little barbarism religious folks often do. More pushing as Launchpad finally blows his cover and calls Mung-Ho out on his barbarism. HAHA! I betcha Scrooge and LP get captured, tied up and forced to walk the plank for that one as Scrooge is horrified. I check the DVD....Damn; I'm good as Scrooge blows Launchpad off for loosening his lip too much. And I don't mean in a sexual way either.
So we get the scene changer as Mung-Ho in on stage with the captured victims proclaims that he will show them what happens to those who interfere with me. Funny; that sounds way too heelish for the crowd to think that he is a savior to them. We zoom in with LP and Sen-Sen as they exchange pleasure thoughts with each other just to make Scrooge's life a wee bit more miserable than it already is. He even leans on Scrooge as Mung-Ho decides to screw that relation up by having the girl go first. THAT'S SEXIST~! And even more so when Mung-Ho grabs her like a staff. Sen-Sen continues her pleas on the Great One and Mung-Ho blows her off because there is no Great One..
.....and then the crowd cheers like crazy as they split into the parade formation and in comes the absolute last two characters Scrooge wants to see as Bubba and Tootsie arrive with a good pop from the crowd. Like I said; it doesn't take much to amuse them. Mung-Ho is SHOCKED and APPALLED (in that order) as the nephews follow up from behind (I see the family turning on Scrooge angle has begun) Bubba as one of the old citizens of Toupay comments (Alan Young) on the kid on top of the giant lizard. Close enough right? Mung-Ho isn't convinced at all as he orders his soldiers to seize him. One Toupay Solider (a pig fury in blue samurai gear with a spear) charges; but Bubba grabs the spear and does the old Mister T spin-o-rama spot. Ummmm; yeah. There is another strike against Bubba The Cave Duck right there. He gets thrown on stage in front of the prisoners and it's a wussy bump as the soldier proclaims him as the Great One (Keone Young). He is dizzy and is knocked out as Scrooge is HAPPY to see Bubba. For once only though; it won't last long. Mung-ho then recoils and decides to play nice with Bubba as he is glad to see him. He climbs down and wants to kiss and make up in front of Bubba and Tootsie; but Bubba wants Scooge. Mung-Ho continues to invoke pleasure thoughts into him since he was gone for so long see. And he needs help with his tasks as the Great One see. Someone with charm and experience like him. Bubba isn't amused by this; so he asks for the nice golden hat and Bubba steals it and chooses........SCOOGE! BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! The crowd agrees with him (what a shock?) and they all hail Scooge.
Scrooge blows them off for that one because it's Scrooge and the crowd responds like Johnny Bravo on speed. HAHA! This becomes a recurring theme in the episode by the way. One of the younger Toupay citizens (in violet and male- Either Alan Young or Keone Young) asks what he wants next as a dogsperson solider uses a sword to cut the ropes from Scrooge as Bubba wants a top ten countdown. It's hard to believe that Bubba was a cool character in this story arc and that later on we would see him as a gimmick and the most hated character in Ducktales history. The crowd doesn't understand him (what a surprise?) as Scrooge translates that into the Great One's chariot lies seven hills away and requests that he brings it here. The stereotypical Asian crowd bows and prays to their Great One and they do the running mob spot away stage right. Cut back to the stage as Scrooge demands that the soldier set Sen-Sen free as he uses a knife which looks about a foot shorter than the sword he used to cut Scrooge free. The crowd pops when she is set free and she bows to Scrooge and thanks him for his kindness. Sen-Sen and Scrooge whisper yell as they want to get out of here. Oh goody; my un-favorite spot comes to life here as Sen-Sen calls him Scooge. HAHA! Scrooge corrects her and Sen-Sen channels Johnny Bravo. Sen-Sen asks if the gang can be escorted to the palace and Scrooge loves that of course and they leave as Launchpad asks Mr. McD if he can be cut free. Scrooge teases a possible heel turn on LP; but sulks and tells the soldier with the spear (Geez; how many different weapons does this guy have?) to cut him free as Sen-Sen does some cute looks at him just to be Sen-Sen.
So we head to the palace (in solid gold to boot) as we pan down to the ground level and Sen-Sen shows Bubba the entrance to his palace. All the babyfaces enter without incident as Mung-Ho tries to enter; but the double red door slam right in his face. HAHA! Great cartoon bumping from Mung-Ho too by the way. So we head to the throne room as Sen-Sen tells him he is welcome home as Bubba runs towards the throne and sits down as the nephews are in awe of all this. The throne even has a personal gong machine which I'm sure will be used at some point. Then we cut to the balcony (in green color) as Mung-Ho climbs on top pleading for Bubba not to listen to them; but Tootsie casually walks in and licks Mung-Ho right in the face. HAHA! And he free falls off and of course I doubt that he would be dead. Tootsie gallops away as we cut back to another balcony as Sen-Sen asks Scrooge if he would like to see the rest of the palace. Scrooge (who is wearing the goofy hat on top of his top hat no less) refuses because as soon as the chariot gets here; they are leaving. Sen-Sen doesn't want them to leave because they have waited so long for The Great One see. Scrooge explains that Bubba is NOT the Great One as Bubba is swinging from the curtains and using his web feet to do some gonging while Tootsie watches on; sitting on the throne. Sen-Sen proclaims that Bubba is the Great One because he rode on top of a giant lizard see. Don't you just love that kind of logic?
She negates her coolness on that spot somewhat with the Gruffi pose as we cut to the throne room again as the kids are riding Tootsie from the carpet as that looks pretty dangerous to me as Louie corrects her and they get thrown off and take decent bumps on the floor with their asses. Sen-Sen thinks that was cute as Scrooge blows off Sen-Sen's religious views as Mung-Ho tries to climb up on the balcony again and Sen-Sen defends herself because it's destiny see. I think Scrooge's Gruffi trumps yours Sen-Sen; so your religious views are pretty questionable. So Sen-Sen forces the point by pulling Mung-Ho's fingers one by one and he free falls again. I think that should give him the point that he is no longer welcomed in the palace. Dewey looks over and sees on the street level that the Shortcut is being brought in by the citizens. So we cut back to inside the throne room (I always love the colors in these scenes even though it is pretty stereotypical) as the nephews walk in from the back door as Scrooge isn't too amused by these delays as Launchpad and Sen-Sen continue to want to cuddle with each other. HAHA! Scrooge blows him off because it is time to leave and Sen-Sen calls it destiny to stay here. Scrooge proclaims that he runs his own destiny see as everyone gets in and Launchpad goes to the black buttons (weren't they blue sometime ago? Whatever) ; but there is nothing doing as Scrooge goes to the freezer and notices that the bombastium has completely melted and Louie panics because now they are stuck here forever. Funny since there are snowy mountains everywhere to refreeze that. So we end the segment nine minutes in.
After the commercial break; we head back to throne room as the babyfaces sulk at the back door of the Shortcut as Sen-Sen calls it destiny for them to stay. Yeah; rub it in like all religious folks do; why don't ya Sen-Sen? Dewey then gets the LIGHTBULB OF BLOODY CLAIRTY and states that they simply refreeze the pop treats. Launchpad blows it off because there is no freezer around and Dewey then runs over and points to the mountain tops filled with snow as we zoom in to force the point. Scrooge notices this and pets Dewey for being a genius and part of a pet shop now. And then Bubba does the...say it with me...forced pet spot on Scrooge which Scrooge blows him off calling him an idiot. If he is talking about the writers keeping Bubba Duck after this story arc; then he has a case. Sen-Sen hugs him because he is wonderful; idiot or not. Well; that pretty much explain her faith right there doesn't it? That makes Scrooge an atheist then. LP then jumps in and knocks down an innocent statue in the process in front of Scrooge because he is an idiot too. I cannot argue with that overwhelming logic there LP.
Scrooge tells the nephews to grab the bombastium and head up the mountain. Well; it was Dewey's idea, so it makes perfect sense that he follows through with it. But Gyro has GOT to invest in a better freezer that doesn't break down. And Scrooge calls LP a lugnut as LP doesn't like Scrooge wanting to take him away from his Sen-Sen. Scrooge blows him off and orders him to join the nephews right now. LP sells after the mean look and elbow of doom convinces him. The nephews leave with the pop treat liquid in the molds as Launchpad waves bye bye to Sen-Sen and then walks into the door like Mung-Ho earlier with a cute bump. HAHA! LP claims that he meant to do that too. So we head into the mountains as the howling commences from a swinging monkey and the nephews and LP climb up (what is with the leather hat he is wearing?). Launchpad is still thinking about her and asks about his impression with her. Huey asks if it was knocking over the statue or into the door. LP proclaims that it was all three. HAHA! Wonder what that THIRD impression was?
So we return to the throne room as Scrooge and Bubba pace around like a bunch of fools near the gong while Sen-Sen watches on. Scrooge then does a Grade B rant on refusing to be caught up in this nonsense as Bubba repeat all the motions Scrooge does behind him minus the voice. HAHA! Scrooge stops and blows off Bubba for being such an idiot and he takes a good bump into Scrooge and bounces off like an idiot. I'm beginning to wonder: If Bubba is really Buddha in this world according to Sen-Sen; then I shudder to think what would happen if Chinese Americans FOUND out about it. They were not too kind with Lost Horizons in any way and this is somehow more offensive than Lost Horizons. Scrooge goes to the throne and sits on it as he blows them off. Sen-Sen asks Scrooge if she can show Bubba the entire palace and Scrooge lets them. So Sen-Sen decides to show Bubba the Treasure Room. Oooooooooo...That was a low blow in Scrooge speak there Sen-Sen. And that look when she looks at Scrooge is clear that she did it on purpose too. Bubba's moronicness is catching I see. Too bad the spot wasn't all that great. Molly did a better job hiding it from people. Scrooge gets the LIGHTBULB OF BLOODY CLAIRTY on that one. Scrooge runs towards them wanting for them to wait up.
So we see the vault doors unlocked (and the barrier when it flings up looks like a Christian Cross (Geez; how did TaleSpin become more mature without so many of them?) and the doors open and Bubba, Scrooge and Sen-Sen walk in as Scrooge sees all that MONEY, MONEY, YEAH, YEAH. It looks like the Money Bin; only with lots of gold trinkets and nick-nacks too. He blesses his number one dime (HA! Hypocrite!) as he asks Bubba if he can do an ancient custom on it and Bubba does the...say it with me...forced petting spot while saying Scooge. Scrooge loves to dive around in it like a porpoise. And so he dives into the gold coins and does the backstroke for fun. He basically repeats the spots he did in Golden Suns Episode #1 at the very beginning of the episode as Sen-Sen sees this as fascinating as those looks that Bubba and Sen-Sen are showing is like they are saying: This guy is nuts! Bubba tries to belly flop into the gold coins; but the LAW OF HEAVY METALS denies him. HAHA! Nice face plant there Bubba as Bubba does the...say it with me...force petting spot as he is dizzy. Scrooge releases his hand from him and wants answers to where the treasure came from. Sen-Sen explains that it came from Mung-Ho took it from the people of Toupay. Scrooge is not impressed with this arrangement as he grabs Bubba and walks away as he wants to talk to the thief and scam artist. Which one? POW! OUCH! Ummm...Okay; Mung-Ho.
So we head to the throne room as there is gold, treasure, pigs and cow up for sale I see. Mung-Ho arrives with his red-ocean spark staff as he jabs it up Scrooge's beak and blows him off for playing in his treasure room and tells him to enjoy it while he can. Scrooge proclaims that he will enjoy this as he tells Sen-Sen to begin. Sen-Sen opens the green folding doors onto the stage and the PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF TOUPAY COURT is now in session. Mung-Ho is SHOCKED and APPALLED by this as a old dogsperson with a wooden staff; white beard and red top hat holding a small child in green pjs. Bubba is taking complaints from the people of Toupay and this will be fun to mock.....
Compliant #1: Mung-Ho took his
only cow because it was in the name of the Great One see (Alan
Young). Mung-Ho tries to defend himself because the royal bonds were
empty see and he stammers way too much (A sign that he is lying).
Scrooge asks Bubba is he wants to take it or give it back as Bubba
teases MURDERING Mung-Ho with the club; but he gongs him instead.
That is extremely lame given what happens later on. Mung-Ho has
ringing as the old man takes his cow and goes home.
Complaint
#2: Then a woman (A dogsperson with red lipstick on; a red bow,
yellow headband, and a pink shirt with cyan blue dress and brown
shoes- Russi Taylor) accuses Mung-Ho of stealing her silken sash.
That is really low even for Mung-Ho. Bubba proclaims that he give it
back and he gongs Mung-Ho again. Mung-Ho is shaking and his ears must
be popping right now. Sen-Sen comes around and unwraps the red silk
sash from the mid-section of Mung-Ho (thus he loses about two notches
from the dignity scale as an oppressor). Mung-Ho does the whirlwind
spot as he loses his robe and has red-heart shaped underwear. In this
era?! BS&P RULEZ! If you are going to do an undies spot; at least
make undies that don't look like a BS&P decision. Something like
colored undies. More gonging from Bubba just to kill Mung Ho's
eardrums some more.
So we cut back to the snowy mountains (DAMMIT! This was going great too) as LP and the nephews are walking through the snows with the molds. Launchpad asks if it is cold enough yet as he feels like a frozen pot pie as Huey states that it is cold enough and he places the mold down on the snow. Big logic break: The backgrounds use trees that look NOTHING like they are in an Asian mountain and more like something from Canada. I guess they recycled a background from somewhere; I don't know where. Launchpad invokes the green vase and pours the liquid bombastium into the mold and Louie covers it with snow as in a few hours; all will be frozen and they can go home. LP isn't liking this because that means the girl of her dreams is gone. So we head back to the throne room as Mung-Ho has nothing but heart shaped undies on and Bubba has apparently stolen his robe as well (or Mung-Ho stole it from the Great One and he just got it back. Either answer works well) as Sen-Sen, Bubba and Scrooge are enjoying this. The crowd chants to give it back as Mung Ho does the standard villain you will pay for this promo and Scrooge gleefully blows him off for psychological projection. Scrooge declares that he will give all the treasure in the vault back to the city as the crowd pops on that one. Mung-Ho rises up and blows off the crowd because Mung-Ho cannot protect them as the crowd is SHOCKED to hear this. Scrooge wants answers and Mung-Ho calls him Scooge as Sen-Sen failed to tell him that Mung-Ho walks beyond the gates to protect the city from ruthless bandits. Scrooge asks Sen-Sen when does this happen and Sen-Sen proclaims that it is tomorrow much to the shock of Scrooge. Sen-Sen calls this fate just to rub it in because the Great One is just in time to save them. HAHA!
So we head outside towards the gates AFTER HAPPY HOUR (after dark) as Mung-Ho exits the gates after stealing the red ocean spark staff and some clothes (and he stole the lady's red silk sash again I see) as he runs up into the hills to waste some time. And then we head to a camp as about 200+ samurai warriors gather around a bonfire as Mung-Ho explains the situation to us. See he tells the bandits to plunder the city and he pays them to run away when he displays his powers. In other words; he is the leader of the bandits and using the city as a pawn in his evil schemes. One of the warriors picks his nose and others throw some decent elbows at each other. This time according to Mung-Ho; it will be different as they will ransack the city and destroy Scooge see. When they are done; Toupay will be his once more as we cue the evil laugh. And that logically takes us to morning as we pan south towards the city and then we cut to inside the throne room as Bubba plays with a staff on top of the throne while Scrooge paces around calling Sen-Sen out for not telling him about the bandits.
Sen-Sen explains that it didn't matter because it is the Great One's destiny to drive them off see. Bubba and Tootsie play fetch and destroy an off-screen gong in the process as Scrooge blows Sen-Sen off because Bubba isn't going to face a band of cutthroats even if he is a troublemaker. Funny since Scrooge had no problems threatening Doofus with lethal consequences. So Sen-Sen points to Scrooge to save them and Scrooge blows it off because he is not a warrior and he'll lose. I think he hates Bubba so much that he is giving into defeatism. Which is odd coming out of him as Sen-Sen proclaims that good shall win when iron walks and gates give forth a blizzard. Scrooge blows her off because he doesn't believe in such nonsense as he only has a cane, a bad hat and then he takes out his laser pen and then gets the LIGHTBULB OF BLOODY CLAIRTY as he has a MIMI JOKE ZONE PLAN to prove that the laser pen is mightier than the sword. I just knew that laser pen would come into play in this episode. Scrooge leaves in a dance and then corrects Sen-Sen on the use of Scooge. Sen-Sen channels Johnny Bravo just to amuse me.
So we logically return to the snowy mountain as the nephews take out the bombastium pop treats from the molds and Dewey wonders if it worked. Louie licks a pop and then disappears instantly. He then reappears with a medieval helmet and shield to force the point. And apparently; it tastes good too as Gyro would say. I guess Gyro can make tasty stuff that isn't nerdish after all. Huey wants to get Launchpad as Louie takes off the excess armor in his life as we pan northeast and in one of the funniest moments in this story arc is Launchpad putting the finishing touches on the snowy face of Sen-Sen. HAHA! If that doesn't get involved in the finish somehow; I am going to be so disappointed like Eric Lewald missing the point about Lemon Pio. Launchpad stands up on the snow beak as Dewey tells him that it's time to go back down. LP have a few more details to crave; but the balance is gone and the picture turns into a giant ass snowball as it rolls down the hill gaining speed. I smell finish coming at six o'clock as the nephews run stage left in front of the snowball; but get caught almost right away as LP tells them to hang on to their bombastium which is the most disturbing thing I have heard so far in this episode. And strangely; the snowball doesn't disappear despite getting juice from the rolling of the snowball. How about that?! Another bad logic break. The snowball bounces like a 3D video game as we cut back to the gates as the citizens of Toupay are on guard with their makeshift weapons. Guarding what? A red flag of course.
They cannot guard against anything else. Bubba and Sen-Sen are on top of the main gate doors as the Chinese Stereotypical Music Plays and we pan down to the Chinese Dragon Doors of Doom (Weren't they showing someone slaying a dragon earlier in the episode?) open and out walks Scrooge alone as the doors close completely on him and probably his life. The samurai warriors (and most of them are quite mean and some are just plain goofy) are at attention as we pan over and finally we see Mung-Ho turning heel for real as he calls this a lovely day for a massacre. Scrooge proclaims that he is ready to guard the palace with his life (and laser pen); so the samurai warriors bail away in different direction and he comes the biggest samurai warrior of the group which so happens to be the only duck in the entire group in green with a demon shaped brown helmet and steel armor with a big ass sword in his right hand (Frank Welker). How hilarious must it be for this fatso to be the only duck in both groups combined. He stalks forward as more samurai warriors bail as he cuts a rock in half with his big ass sword to force the point.
The bandits pop for that one as they are less to impress than Toupay. No wonder Mung-Ho paid them off to go away. Scrooge isn't impressed as he invokes the POWER OF THE LASER PEN and slices the rock into sliced bread; cuts some trees and makes them topple and cuts the blade of the Big Ass Warrior's big ass sword. The crowd pops loudly for that one as well. This seems to be a battle of who has the biggest dick in the business and I say that it's a draw. The bandits are frightened (Frank Welker I bet) as Mung-Ho tells the Giant Ass Warrior to MURDER him and the Giant Ass Warrior isn't so sure about doing the deed anymore. Scrooge wants to shoot some more of his manhood; but it fries and dies on him. You know you have prematurely ejaculated when THAT happens. The Giant Ass Warrior changes his mind as Scrooge orders Bubba to open the gates; but no dice coming as Scrooge gets the World Biggest Dumptruck Screw Punch of Death (and a good one too) as Scrooge is knocked silly and appears to be dead to boot. The Giant Ass Warrior gets ready for the kill as he raises the World's Biggest Web Foot (before Attack Of The 50 Foot Webby) up toward's Scrooge's body and that ends the segment nearly 17 minutes in.
After the commercial break; we see Scrooge on the bridge nearly dead as the Giant Ass Warrior teases his foot some more and then here comes Bubba from the anime background blindside and he does the Yosmite Sam MURDERING on the Giant Ass Warrior's head. And Sam went for his gun as weeping is not his forte see. I only shake my head in disbelief that Peggy Charmon didn't realize the irony and hypocrisy of allowing Bubba a child to whack another anthro; but whined when Sam did the same thing twice to a camel and had one of the on-screen whacks cut in later edition of Riff-Raff Sam in Bugs Bunny. This proves that she has no love for anyone that is anthro. Which became more hypocritical when she defended Buster Bunny Postcard on the homosexual episode. Not that I mind her defending homosexuals since I thought she did the right thing by defending the episode (It wasn't HLA guys; get over it!). So we move on as the Giant Ass Warrior is knocked silly and dead and Bubba grabs Scrooge by the legs; dodges a lot of steel arrows and runs past the gates and then gate slam shut behind them as ordered by Sen-Sen. So we continue on with the always thrilling battering ram of doom on the gate doors by the bandits to waste more time on the sky shot.
Heads will roll in Toupay as Mung-Ho would say. So we logically cut to the HILLS OF TOUPAY as the snowball rides down the hill to fetch a pail of Asian Stereotypes. Oh come on! You know what is going to happen way in advance here. More video game shots of the snowball rolling down the hill as we cut inside near a BARREL OF LAUGHS as Sen-Sen keeps slapping Scrooge in the kisser to wake up. By the way; Sen-Sen is allowed to slap Scrooge multiple times; but Misty couldn't slap Ash one in the American dub of Pokemon. That's why Al Khan sucks. She is trying to wake him up because he is missing his destiny. I disagree; getting nearly MURDERED by a Giant Ass Bandit WAS his destiny. Scrooge moans and he is still knocked silly as he relates to his Mommy to ride the horses again. So Tootsie licks him and that wakes him up as he blows her off and Bubba hugs him calling him Scooge. Scrooge pushes him away because it is Scrooge. I betcha both of them channel Johnny Bravo now. I check the DVD....Ah; whatever. We then cut over to the gate from the back side as it is appearing on it's last legs (and we get an excellent Chinese drawing on it too) and it will give in at any minute. Sen-Sen tells him about the iron running with the blizzard and Scrooge tries to call it bull****; but the snowball bounces in from the backside (shouldn't it be from the front? Whatever...) as we cut back to the front of the gate as Mung-Ho hears something and wants them to see something.
Mung-Ho checks his hearing at the door and then the gates fling open and the giant snowball consumes him and his bandits as everyone gets blown away. Launchpad lands squarely against the top of the gate as he proclaims that he made an impression on Sen-Sen now. HAHA! Launchpad slides down onto the snow with the nephews and wiped out soldiers as they think that they won; but the bandits are not done yet as Mung-Ho tells them to Destroy and Hurt them. Oh man; not THIS show too? This is DTVA; you can say Die and Kill in this series. I don't like He-Man ribs of any kind since I watch this show to get away from them; not be reminded of them. So Sen-Sen uses the sword on the pulley system and drops the second wooden gate down. WHAT?! They had another gate? Oh screw it; I'm not in the mood to count the logic breaks at this point. Scrooge questions her beliefs and Sen-Sen gleefully answers that one for me as she is just helping along. The nephews go all Magic School Bus on us and LP has a MIMI JOKE ZONE PLAN as the babyfaces bail stage right as Scrooge wonders if this will never cease. No it won't Scooge.
Scrooge: That's
Scrooge!
Gregory Weagle: Whatever.
So Launchpad climbs up the Samurai Warrior Statue and everyone else follows him. Damn; I knew that this would be involved in the finish somehow. Now you know this episode is seriously overbooked. Launchpad finds the trapdoor and he pushes it and drops in with a nasty bump onto the wooden floor as everyone gets in and realizes that it's the Asian version of the Trojan Horse. LP thanks himself for finding it of course. The nephews ask if Launchpad can get it to work and Launchpad has that figured out as he climbs up the rope ladder with Sen-Sen in tow as we head to the ummm..head of the Trojan Samurai Warrior and he pushes on levers and switches and stuff as the statue begins to move. Sen-Sen sees this as the prophecy coming true of course. The iron walk part of course. The statue on the far shot stands up and walks in such a goofy fashion you know that Launchpad is driving it. I'm calling 2:1 odds that he will crash a statue before this one is over. We then go to ground level as Mung-Ho tells the bandits that they get a thousand pieces of gold if the first man finds them and they charge....for about three seconds as they all run away stage left like a bunch of scalded dog as one of the bandits tells him to keep his MONEY, MONEY, YEAH, YEAH. Mung-Ho sees his worst nightmare and looks seriously (insert swear word here) as he tries the RED OCEAN SPARKLING STAFF OF DOOM on the statue but it only opens the trapdoor as Bubba appears and he blows him off.
Mung-Ho does the Scooby Doo Zoinks spot as he bails stage left. The statue stomps around as the bandits run away from him and nearly get stomped on in the process. Mung-Ho hides in a BARREL OF LAUGHS and the statue kicks (or flicks) him away as he does some rolling off roofs (Oh great; another New Beginning finish?) and drops right into the pig pen which is conveniently placed. Mung-Ho is scared stiff as the pigs lick him in response. So we return inside the statue as Bubba, Scrooge and the nephews hang on the rope ladder as this is rock and roll according to Bubba. We then head into the head as the airhead continues to play around and I betcha he finally crashes the statue. I check the DVD...Damn; I'm good as the statue goes backwards and destroys a perfectly innocent stable in the process and somehow does no damages to the rest of the castle. How about that?! The nephews and Bubba climb out through the trap door as they see the bandits running out of the gate like scalded dogs for real. So we see Scrooge, Sen-Sen and Tootsie already out as Launchpad climbs out and call this one; one for the diary. HAHA! He crashed a snowball and a statue on the same day. HAHA! Too bad the insurance company doesn't count those ones because he should be getting that toaster by now.
So we head back to the main stage (symbolically how this all got started) as the Shortcut is in front and the crowd is sadden as Sen-Sen doesn't want them to go because they need a leader. Scrooge nominates Sen-Sen for the job as LP has decided to go Asian for the trip back home. Oh how sweet of him; it's like he went green for Luck 'O The Ducks. Sen-Sen is surprised as Scrooge calls it destiny. Sen-Sen likes the new position as Huey reminds her of the statue as the bandits will never come back. Scrooge wants to leave but Sen-Sen whisper yells that she wants a conference with him. Sen-Sen tells him that Bubba saved his ass and defeated the Big Ass Giant that laid him senseless. Scrooge is surprised as Bubba does the...say it with me...forced petting spot of doom. Scrooge thinks that Bubba is meant to be here and Bubba shrugs maybe (funny that they used THIS in the recap) as Sen-Sen says farewell to the Great One anyway and they are grateful to him. Bubba gives Sen-Sen the hat as I'm surprised Scrooge didn't react to this in anyway.
Scrooge, the nephews, Bubba and Tootsie enter the Shortcut on the front shot as Launchpad and Sen-Sen have their cute goodbyes as Sen-Sen kisses him right on the lips in hilarious fashion. That is the best part of the episode right there folks; and maybe the best in the entire story arc. Launchpad loves it and Bubba tells him to give it back. So he kisses Sen-Sen the same way! I take it back; that IS the best part of the entire story arc. So we cut to the front shot of the Shortcut as Launchpad and Scrooge are in the cockpit as LP pulls some levers (WRONG LEVERS!) and it's all aboard to the future so to speak. The Shortcut rises up into the air and everyone on the ground says farewell and they even get Scrooge's name right this time. Which means that they were playing with his mind all along. HAHA! Scrooge blows himself off as Scooge. HAHA! Scrooge channels Johnny Bravo on himself as the Shortcut disappears in the blue sky and we re-enter the black version of the TIMELINE ZONE~! The Shortcut zooms away to end part 2 at 20:30 aired. Really good despite the logic breaks and silly errors. However; my patience is going to wear thin now. **** ¼ (85%).
Closing Moment #1: There is NO preview for this one. So they cut a total of 42 seconds for no good reason. And Will Ryan's narration isn't even covered in the credits.
THE REVIEW LINE
Well; as I expected, this was the best episode of the story arc which is fitting since it had the best ending to the story arc. Sadly; it wasn't as good as I remembered it due to the logic breaks and somewhat lame dialog. Did we really need a He-Man rib in this episode? The whole beginning I thought was botched up really bad as it was basically cover up for the fact that the ending of episode #1 was so messed up. On the other hand; the rest of the episode was really great as the Scooge joke was funny; Mung-Ho getting gonged, Bubba looked good as a redeemed savior (even though it didn't help Bubba as a long term character). And Sen-Sen's little plan worked to perfection as destiny won despite the fact that they did a lot of work to make that finish come true. And Launchpad was awesome as he did everything from Sen-Sen craving in snow, bump in for the power of love and figured into the finish with the iron statue. And we got the most hilarious kissy-kissy ending in DTVA history. Hoppo can only dream of this happening to her. POW! OUCH! Ummm... That is the first time I got punched in the kisser on a Review Line. A few logic breaks marred the experience; but it was still a good one.
...And so that ends disc 2 of volume 3 of Ducktales and it ends on a high note. This is probably one of the best discs on a set since the first volume of TaleSpin with six thumbs up and two thumbs in the middle. And three straight perfect episodes to boot! Sadly; the next two episodes are going to hell to watch since the real cracks of Bubba's character are shown and Scrooge's attitude only make it worse. So....
Thumbs up for this episode and I'll see you next time.